Method and apparatus for erecting and filling a folding box

ABSTRACT

For the purpose of erecting and filling a folding box which has closure flaps on two opposite sides, the folding box is removed from a store and erected such that the closure flaps are arranged on its upper side and its underside. The lower closure flaps are folded over and the underside of the folding box is thus closed, whereupon products are introduced into the folding box. Then, the upper closure flaps are folded over, as a result of which the upper side of the folding box is closed. Thereafter, both the upper closure flaps and the lower closure flaps are fixed in their closed position in a downstream fixing apparatus.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a method for erecting and filling a folding box which has closure flaps on two opposite sides.

The invention also relates to an apparatus for erecting and filling a corresponding folding box.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In many branches of industry, it is customary and necessary for individual, relatively small products to be arranged for transportation purposes in secondary packaging, which can accommodate a multiplicity of the products. The secondary packaging used is, in particular, in the form of boxes, since these are relatively lightweight and do not excessively increase the transportation weight.

It is known for a multiplicity of flat folding boxes to be accommodated in stacked form in a store, for example a shaft, and to be removed individually from the store. Removal takes place either manually or by means of an apparatus, for example an industrial robot. As it is being removed from the store, the folding box is erected, usually by being moved against corresponding stops or forming surfaces.

A folding box of the type mentioned is usually cuboidal in the closed state, and the following text is based on this shape by way of example. Such a folding box has four side walls and is provided in each case with a plurality of closure flaps both on its upper side and on its underside. The closure flaps can be folded over such that they close the upper side and the underside of the folding box.

Once the folding box has been erected, the lower closure flaps, which are arranged on the underside of the folding box, are folded over such that the underside of the folding box is closed. Thereafter, the lower closure flaps are fixed in their closed position by adhesive bonding and/or by means of adhesive tapes and/or by stapling, for example by means of staples. This results in the formation of an erected folding box which is firmly closed on the underside and into which the products can then be inserted into the interior of the folding box from the as yet open upper side. This can take place manually or mechanically, for example with the aid of an industrial robot.

Once a sufficient number of products has been introduced into the folding box, it is also the case that the closure flaps arranged on the upper side of the folding box are folded over, and therefore the upper side of the folding box is closed. The closure flaps arranged on the upper side of the folding box are then fixed in their closed position in the aforementioned manner by adhesive bonding and/or by means of adhesive tapes and/or by stapling, in particular by means of staples. The folding box is then in a reliably closed state and can be opened again only by virtue of the adhesive bonding or of the adhesive tapes being destroyed or of the staples being removed.

The disadvantage with this procedure is that the large number of operating steps which have to be carried out one after the other, in particular when the erecting and filling operation is automated, make it necessary to have a large number of work stations or locations arranged one beside the other, which is complex in design terms and costly and requires a large amount of space.

The invention is based on the object of creating a method which is intended for erecting and filling a folding box of the type mentioned and can be carried out using a smaller number of workstations or locations.

The intention is also to create an apparatus which is intended for erecting and filling a corresponding folding box and has a compact and straightforward construction.

The aforementioned object is achieved, as far as the method is concerned, by a method having the features of claim 1.

In the case of the method according to the invention for erecting and filling a folding box which has closure flaps on two opposite sides, provision is preferably made for the folding box first of all to be removed in flat form from a store. The store can be, for example, a stacking shaft, in which a stack of flat folding boxes is accommodated. For removal of the folding box from the store, use is preferably made of a removal apparatus for example in the form of an industrial robot.

The folding box removed from the store is then erected by means of an erecting apparatus, it being possible for the erecting apparatus to be a further industrial robot or else the same industrial robot which removes the folding box from the store. The operation of erecting the folding box takes place preferably by the folding box being pushed against corresponding stops or forming surfaces and being opened out as a result. In this state, the folding box has a central part in the form of a cylinder, in particular of a rectangular cylinder, which is open on its upper side and its underside, because the upper closure flaps, which are arranged on the upper side of the folding box, and the lower closure flaps, which are arranged on the underside of the folding box, are not yet in their closed position.

In a subsequent method step, the lower closure flaps are then folded over, and therefore the underside of the folding box is closed. However, rather than the closure flaps being fixed in their closed position, the lower closure flaps are suitably prevented from coming out of their closed position. This can be achieved, for example, by the folding box having its underside set down on a bearing surface, or by a temporary blocking element being arranged on the underside of the folding box, said blocking element temporarily retaining the lower closure flaps in their closed position. In this state, the folding box is one which is closed, but not yet fixed, on its underside and is still open on its upper side, since the upper closure flaps are not yet in their closed position.

Thereafter, products are introduced into the folding box. This can take place manually or by means of a filling apparatus, in particular in the form of an industrial robot. As an alternative, in a small number of cases, it may also be possible for the products to be constituent parts of a bulk material, which are poured into the folding box.

The folding box preferably has its underside, i.e. the not-yet-fixed, lower closure flaps located in the closed position, resting on the bearing surface when the products are being introduced.

The bearing surface can be a preferably horizontal bearing surface, although provision can be made in particular for the bearing surface to be formed on a conveying apparatus, in particular a roller conveyor or a conveyor belt.

When the folding box is being erected, it may be the case that the central part of the folding box, rather than being an ideal cuboid, deviates by a small angular amount from this shape, i.e. the folding box has a rhomboidal cross section. Since the lower closure flaps are not yet fixed, this has the advantage that the folding box is pushed into the ideal cuboidal shape by the products and/or by the filling apparatus when the products are being introduced.

Once the products have been introduced into the folding box, the upper closure flaps, which are arranged on the upper side of the folding box, are folded over, as a result of which the upper side of the folding box is closed. In this state, the folding box is a filled one which has its underside resting on the bearing surface and its upper closure flaps located in the closed position, albeit not yet fixed.

Since the folding box is closed, but not fixed, on its underside by means of the lower closure flaps while the filling operation is taking place, it may be the case that the folding box has reduced dimensional stability. In order to stabilize the folding box during the filling operation, a development of the invention can make provision for the folding box to be retained by means of a positioning device when the products are being introduced. The positioning device can be at least one sucker and/or at least one stop. If a sucker is provided, this can be brought into abutment with the outer side of the folding box and activated so that the folding box is securely retained by the sucker. In addition, or as an alternative, it is possible to provide lateral stops, for example guide bars or stop rails, which are in abutment with, and therefore stabilize, the folding box preferably on two opposite sides.

Thereafter, the folding box is introduced into a fixing apparatus, in which both the upper closure flaps and the lower closure flaps are fixed in their closed position. This can be achieved, for example, by adhesive bonding by means of an adhesive and/or of an adhesive tape or by stapling, in particular by means of staples.

A significant aspect of the invention is that of dispensing with the fixing of the lower closure flaps of the folding box prior to the filling operation and, rather, of both the lower closure flaps and the upper closure flaps being fixed only once the folding box has been filled. Therefore, the operation of fixing the closure flaps can take place in a single and joint fixing apparatus, this making it possible to achieve a compact construction.

In a possible configuration of the invention, provision can be made for the operation of fixing the upper closure flaps and the operation of fixing the lower closure flaps to take place one after the other in the fixing apparatus. It is preferably the case, however, that the operation of fixing the upper closure flaps and the operation of fixing the lower closure flaps overlap in time, i.e. the operation of fixing the upper closure flaps takes place at least to some extent at the same time as the operation of fixing the lower closure flaps. In a particularly advantageous configuration, provision is made for the operation of fixing the upper closure flaps and the operation of fixing the lower closure flaps to take place at the same time.

If the two fixing operations are of equal length, they can take place at exactly the same time or can be staggered by a short time period. If one of the fixing operations should take longer than the other fixing operation, a preferred configuration of the invention can make provision for the shorter fixing operation to take place entirely within the duration of the longer fixing operation.

As far as the apparatus is concerned, the aforementioned object is achieved by an apparatus having the features of Claim 8. A store, in which the folding box is accommodated in flat form, is provided here in the aforementioned manner. The folding box can be removed from the store by means of a removal apparatus. Thereafter, the folding box can be erected by means of an erecting apparatus such that the closure flaps are arranged on its upper side and its underside, and that the lower closure flaps, which are arranged on the underside of the folding box, are folded over, as a result of which the underside of the folding box is closed. The removal apparatus and the erecting apparatus, for example, can each be an industrial robot or else can be a single, joint industrial robot.

Also provided is a filling apparatus, by means of which products can be introduced into the folding box. The upper closure flaps, which are arranged on the upper side of the folding box, can be folded over by means of a closure apparatus, and therefore the upper side of the folding box can be closed. Finally, the upper closure flaps and the lower closure flaps are fixed in a fixing apparatus. The fixing apparatus has an upper fixing unit, by means of which the upper closure flaps can be fixed in their closed position, and a lower fixing unit, by means of which the lower closure flaps can be fixed in their closed position. The fixing apparatus and therefore both the upper fixing unit and the lower fixing unit are arranged downstream of the closure apparatus, i.e. both the upper and the lower closure flaps of the folding box are fixed only once the products have been introduced and the upper closure flaps have been moved into their closed position.

A preferred configuration of the invention makes provision for the upper fixing unit and the lower fixing unit to be arranged one above the other. It is possible here for the folding box to be able to be guided through between the upper fixing unit and the lower fixing unit in particular by means of the conveying apparatus, and therefore the upper closure flaps and the lower closure flaps can be fixed in each case without the box having to be rotated or turned.

It is preferable for the upper fixing unit and/or the lower fixing unit to be designed in the form of an adhesive-bonding unit and/or of an adhesive-tape-application unit and/or of a stapling unit.

The conveying apparatus can serve to transport the folding box through the fixing apparatus such that it is possible to achieve a continuous method sequence without the folding box having to be turned in the interim.

A development of the invention can provide a positioning device, by means of which the folding box can be positioned, and fixed, in the filling apparatus. The positioning device can be, for example, at least one sucker and/or at least one stop and/or at least one clamping or guide bar.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further details and features of the invention can be gathered from the following description of an exemplary embodiment with reference to the drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of the individual phases of the method for erecting and filling a folding box, and

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a folding box in the positioning device, prior to the box being filled.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of the operations in an apparatus 10 for erecting and filling a folding box FK. A stack 19 of folding boxes FK is accommodated in a shaft-like store 11. By means of a removal apparatus 12, which can be an industrial robot, the lower folding box FK is removed from the folding-box stack 19 and fed to an erecting apparatus 13, as is indicated by the arrow E.

In the erecting apparatus 13, the flat folding box FK is erected by being moved against corresponding stops or forming surfaces. It is possible here for the folding box FK to be retained and moved by the same industrial robot which is also part of the removal apparatus 12. Once the folding box FK has been erected, it is of cuboidal shape or cubic shape, with for example four side walls, in its central part and bears upper closure flaps L_(O) on its upper side and lower closure flaps L_(U) on its underside, although these are still located in their open position, as is illustrated schematically in FIG. 1.

The folding box FK is then closed on its underside by the lower closure flaps L_(U) being folded over. Fixing of the lower closure flaps L_(U) by adhesive bonding or stapling does not yet take place. The folding box FK, closed on its underside, is then set down on a set-down surface 14 of a conveying apparatus 23, as is indicated by the arrow A. Since the folding box FK has its underside resting on the bearing surface 14 of the conveying apparatus 23, the lower closure flaps L_(U) are retained in their closed position. The folding box FK is still open on its upper side, since the upper closure flaps L_(O) are not yet in their closed position.

The folding box FK is then transported, by means of the conveying apparatus 23, to a filling apparatus 15, in which products P, for example packs, are introduced into the folding box FK from above, as is indicated by the arrow B. An industrial robot can be used for the operation of introducing the products P.

While the folding box FK is being filled, it is expedient for it to be positioned, and retained, securely. It is illustrated in FIG. 2 that the folding box FK, in the filling apparatus 15, is arranged in a positioning device 20, which has two parallel guide rails or stops 22, between which the folding box FK is retained with a close fit. In addition, or as an alternative, it is possible to provide at least one sucker 21, which is brought into abutment with an outer side of the folding box FK and is then activated so that the sucker 21 securely positions, and retains, the folding box FK.

Once the desired number of products P has been introduced into the folding box FK, the latter is transported, by means of the conveying apparatus 23, to a closure apparatus 24, in which the upper closure flaps L_(O) are folded over and the folding box FK is thus closed. This can be achieved by means of stops or forming surfaces, against which the upper closure flaps L_(O) of the folding box FK are moved.

The folding box FK filled with the products P and closed, albeit not fixed, on its underside and its upper side is then transported to a fixing apparatus 16 by means of the conveying apparatus 23. The fixing apparatus 16 has a lower fixing unit 17 and an upper fixing unit 18, between which the folding box FK is arranged. The lower fixing unit 17 fixes the lower closure flaps L_(U) by adhesive bonding and/or by means of adhesive tapes and/or by stapling. At the same time, the upper fixing unit 18 fixes the upper closure flaps L_(O) likewise by means of adhesive bonding and/or by means of adhesive tapes and/or by stapling. The folding box FK is then in a state in which it has been filled and securely closed. 

1. Method for erecting and filling a folding box which has closure flaps on two opposite sides, the method comprising: removing the folding box in flat form from a store and erecting the folding box by an erecting apparatus such that the closure flaps are arranged on an upper side and an underside thereof, wherein the lower closure flaps, which are arranged on the underside of the folding box, are folded over and the underside of the folding box is thus closed, and thereafter introducing products into the folding box, and then folding the upper closure flaps, which are arranged on the upper side of the folding box, over and thus closing the upper side of the folding box, and thereafter fixing both the upper closure flaps and the lower closure flaps in a closed position in a fixing apparatus.
 2. Method according to claim 1, wherein fixing the closure flaps in the fixing apparatus takes place by adhesive bonding and/or stapling and/or by an adhesive tape.
 3. Method according to claim 1, wherein fixing the upper closure flaps takes place at least to some extent at the same time as the operation of fixing the lower closure flaps.
 4. Method according to claim 1, wherein the folding box has the underside thereof resting on a bearing surface during the step of introducing the products.
 5. Method according to claim 4, wherein the bearing surface is formed on a conveying apparatus.
 6. Method according to claim 1, wherein the folding box is retained by a positioning device during the step of introducing the products.
 7. Method according to claim 6, wherein the positioning device has at least one sucker and/or at least one stop.
 8. Apparatus for erecting and filling a folding box which has closure flaps on two opposite sides, the apparatus comprising a store, in which the folding box is accommodated in flat form, removal apparatus, by which the folding box can be removed from the store, an erecting apparatus, by which the folding box can be erected such that the closure flaps are arranged on an upper side and an underside thereof and the lower closure flaps, which are arranged on the underside of the folding box, are folded over and the underside of the folding box is thus closed, a filling apparatus, by which products can be introduced into the folding box, a closure apparatus, by which the upper closure flaps, which are arranged on the upper side of the folding box, can be folded over and the upper side of the folding box can thus be closed, and a fixing apparatus, which has an upper fixing unit, by which the upper closure flaps can be fixed in an upper closed position and which is arranged downstream of the closure apparatus, and has a lower fixing unit, by which the lower closure flaps can be fixed in a lower closed position, wherein the lower fixing unit is arranged downstream of the closure apparatus.
 9. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the upper fixing unit and the lower fixing unit are arranged one above the other.
 10. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the folding box can be guided through between the upper fixing unit and the lower fixing unit.
 11. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the upper fixing unit and/or the lower fixing unit are/is designed in the form of an adhesive-bonding unit and/or of a stapling unit.
 12. Apparatus according to claim 8, further including a conveying apparatus, by which the folding box can be transported through the fixing apparatus.
 13. Apparatus according to claim 8, further including a positioning device, by which the folding box can be positioned, and fixed, in the filling apparatus.
 14. Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the positioning device has at least one sucker and/or at least one stop. 